History has been made…Another dream has become reality. [tag]Barack Obama[/tag] becomes the [tag]44th President of the United States[/tag]. [tag]Obama[/tag]’s election as president changes dream to reality. It proves that anything is possible to him that believes. Obama’s story is not only one of rags to riches, it is the tale of an outsider who found for himself the inside track. It is a story that proves once more that we are not limited by what others do or say to us but by the limitations that we put in place by ourselves.

My congratulations, therefore, go to everyone who still believes in hope and especially those whose dreams have been brought back to life. While we are still celebrating, I believe this is a good time to examine some of the lessons from this history-making victory. We all need to look beyond the euphoria and see the values that we can replicate in our lives. So, what are the basic lessons that are available to us all?

1. Obama had a dream: What is it that you want to do? Every major achievement in life starts with a dream. The whole world started with a dream by God. There is nothing in existence today that has not passed through the dream stage. Obama started the race to “White House” with a dream. Today, he did not only achieve his dream but also create history.  He became the first Black American president of the United States. There is nothing you can achieve in life without starting with a dream. DREAM is an important foundation upon which all achievements are built. Through dreams, we determine indirectly what our future becomes. We pick our future with our dreams. The question now is, what pictures are in your mind? You can start today to determine the course of your life by dictating the pictures you allow to stay in your mind.

2. Obama had a plan: If you do not know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else. Obama did not only have a dream, he was clear in his mind of how he was going to achieve his dream. His plan was so clear that many would have been surprised if he had not achieved his dream. Everybody could easily identify with his dream and plans. As such, people knew exactly how to come in. The saying that no one plans to fail is not really true. Once you fail to plan, you are definitely planning to fail. No one can effectively achieve an objective that he or she does not have clearly defined. We have got to think things through, decide what we want, and write out our plan. Dr. [tag]Stephen R. Covey[/tag] suggests, “begin with the end in mind.”

3. Obama Prepared:- God believes in preparation. Obama run the most sophisticated election campaign in the world. Things didnt just emerge. A lot of efforts went into preparation. The campaign machine put into place didn’t appear from no where. It was the result of hours put into preparation. If Jesus Christ had to spend 30 years in the carpenter’s workshop preparing for a 3 1/2 ministry, we all have no excuse. We have to take this value serious if we are to turn our dreams into reality. God appreciates preparation and it shows in everything HE does.

4. Obama Performed: David Schwartz argues, “the only way to start, is to start.” The best laid-down plans, the most comprehensive preparation, can still lead to nothing unless we endeavour to take the necessary action. Obama followed through on the plan plans. He followed the months of preparation with corresponding actions.  No matter how strong and promising our plans and preparation are, once we fail to act, we would still be heading no where. The action step does not have to be perfect.

Dr. Norman Vincent Peale observed, “If you put off everything until you’re sure of it, you’ll get nothing done.” The Bible confirmed this in Ecclesiastes 11:4 “He that observeth the wind shall not show; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap”.  History was not in favour of Obama but he still went ahead to pursue his dreams. Nobody gave him the chance of becoming Democratic Presidential Nominee not to talk ot becoming the 44th President of the United States.  So, do like NIKE suggests…Just Do IT.

5. Persist: – Will the road ahead be smooth? Will there be any adversity on the way? Obama’s road to white house was full of so many rough times. There were definitely challenges on the way but he persisted. The difference between the successful person and the one stalked by failure is not the adversity, everybody has that. The difference is your response – your attitude to the challenges you meet on your way. Do we regroup and hit it hard again, or do we just lay it down and quit? Many times we have made a u-turn when our success is actually around the corner.

Calvin Coolidge said, ”

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”

Failure is never an end. It should be seen as a bend towards another destination. Setbacks should be seen as the foundations upon which we build future success or the final excuse for failure. The decision is yours. Nearly everyone who develops an idea works it until it looks impossible and then gets discouraged. That is not the place to become discouraged. It is often at this point that many only see the obstacle and no longer sees their idea. They give in to discouragement, opposition and obstacles not knowing breakthrough is on the horizon. If only they were persistent.

It is therefore normal for someone to have obstacles before success. Even the dictionary puts the word obstacle before success. Obstacles are there to strengthen us and offer progressive measurement of our growing strength. Discouragement sets in when we misunderstand the purpose of obstacles. Persistence is a conscious decision. So, let us train ourselves to be persistent persons.

These are just some of the lessons I am applying to my life. Have you learnt anything? Use the comment below to share your thought and let’s us put hand together to create the world we all can believe in. We will succeed.